σιτοφυλαξ, formed from σῖτος, "corn," and φυλαξ, "keeper," in antiquity, an Athenian magistrate, who had the superintendence of the corn, and was to take care that nobody bought more than was necessary for the provision of his family. By the Attic laws, particular persons were prohibited from buying more than fifty measures of wheat a man; and that such persons might not purchase more, the sitophylax was appointed to see the laws properly executed. It was a capital crime to prevaricate in it. There were 15 of these sitophylaces, ten for the city, and five for the Piraeus.